Basic table saw safety question

[Bart Sotnick]

I apologize in advance for this basic question from a newbie:

What is the SAFEST way to cut four identical 1-1/2 inch square legs from an 8/4 board that is 7 inches wide? Should I start by resawing the piece with the fence 1-1/2 inches from the blade, then feed the piece through with a pusher to cut the legs, being especially careful on the final leg because there will only be a bit more than a half-inch of waste left?
My aim is to always end the day with 10 complete fingers on my hands!
Thanks.

[Lee Schierer]

If you want your finished dimension to be exactly 1-1/2" you need to rip them slightly bigger to allow for removal of saw marks from two sides, assuming the thickness is at the finished dimension before ripping. If you make the cuts at 1-9/16" you will have material for clean up.This will leave about 1/8" to cut off the fourth piece. Ripping 1-1/2" stock demands a dedicated ripping blade. Make sure your blade is precisely aligned with your miter gauge slot and the fence is precisely aligned to the same miter slot. The fence can tow out a few thousandths of an inch at the far end, but cannot toe in toward the blade. Don't stand directly behind the piece that will be between the fence and the blade just in case. This is the type of push stick I use for ripping.

Ripping a strip 1-1/2" wide against the fence should work well. Yes use a push stick to keep your hands away from the blade. I like to use my magnetic feather boards to hold the piece being cut against the fence just in front of the blade. I reposition it after each cut so it remains tight against the piece being cut.

[glenn bradley]

The Grr-Ripper is my go-to for this type of thing.

MJ Splitter and Grr-Ripper 002.jpg

Reliable control of the last leg. Things don't get iffy with a Grr-Ripper till you get below 1/8".

[Doug Garson]

Can't really add much to what Lee said other than I make a habit of holding a second push stick in my left hand so if I need to reach in for any reason my hand is well clear of the blade. Note in your OP you expressed concern that the last cut with only 1/8" or so waste was an extra concern, I don't think the width of the waste side is an issue.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I apologize in advance for this basic question from a newbie:

Never hesitate to ask just because you feel it is a "newbie" question.

And now I am subscribed so that I can see the answers :-)

[Dan Friedrichs]

Do you have a zero clearance insert on the saw? That will help with any concern about small waste pieces. But if you do have one, there's no need to be concerned about 1/2" (or, really, any amount) of waste being cut off. It's perfectly safe to even just shave a hair off the edge of a board.

I'm not sure I understand your main question, though. Do you mean resawing on the table saw from 8/4 to 1.5"? If so, and your board is 7" wide, you won't be able to do that (at least, not in one pass) because you likely only have ~3" depth of cut (on a 10" blade). (side note: when I have a need to make a deep cut like that, it tends to always be pretty hairy and I try to avoid doing that). So I think you'll want to cut 1.5" pieces from the width, then rotate each piece 90 degrees and run it through again to get the thickness correct.

[Bart Sotnick]

Thanks, all, for your comments. I appreciate the help.

[William Hodge]

I apologize in advance for this basic question from a newbie:

What is the SAFEST way to cut four identical 1-1/2 inch square legs from an 8/4 board that is 7 inches wide? Should I start by resawing the piece with the fence 1-1/2 inches from the blade, then feed the piece through with a pusher to cut the legs, being especially careful on the final leg because there will only be a bit more than a half-inch of waste left?
My aim is to always end the day with 10 complete fingers on my hands!
Thanks.

Cut the piece to rough length, 1" longer than finish length.
Joint one edge straight.
Rough rip the stock at 1 3/4". If the off cut bows after one cut, re-joint it.
Don't worry abut the off cut. If it falls into the throat opening at the end of the cut, shut the saw off, let the blade stop, and take the piece out.
Joint, plane, edge joint, rip, and final rip the pieces.

[Lee Schierer]

Rough rip the stock at 1 3/4". If the off cut bows after one cut, re-joint it.

Did you forget the kerfs? Largest he can rip is 1-5/8" to get four pieces from a 7" board.

[William Hodge]

Did you forget the kerfs? Largest he can rip is 1-5/8" to get four pieces from a 7" board.

No, I didn't forget the kerfs. The 1/4" is to get the stock straight after it's rough ripped. I figured the OP would need more wood to get four straight pieces. 1/4" is about the minimum to leave when rough ripping wood.